


The Best of Both of Us

by squeaklings



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Adorkable, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-13
Updated: 2016-08-13
Packaged: 2018-08-08 11:05:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,159
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7755262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/squeaklings/pseuds/squeaklings
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steven and Connie and a simple walk on the beach.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Best of Both of Us

**Author's Note:**

> Set during that nebulous time between _Steven vs Amethyst_ and _Bismuth_. Also credit to my friend Jchan for the Pokeymon idea and inspiration for this story.
> 
> Edit: Now with proper pronouns. Thank you to everyone who corrected me.

“Steven!”

He looked up at the sound of his name to see Connie across the street waving at him. Steven turned off his phone to wave back and, with a quick look both ways, ran across the road to join her.

“Connie! There’s no training today, why are you in Beach City?”

“Mom has a conference and they chose the Town Hall to hold it in.” She pointed at his phone. “You were staring at your phone with this really serious expression. Is something wrong?” Her voice fell and she glanced back and forth quickly. “Is it Jasper?”

“Oh, no, nothing like that!” Steven pulled out his phone to show her, keeping all thoughts of Jasper pushed far, far back in his mind. “Sadie showed me this new game; it’s really fun! It’s called _Pokeymon; Gotta Plant ‘Em All._ You grow little cactus monsters throughout the town.” 

“Cactus monsters?” Connie watched as he showed off the game and some of the cacti he’d already grown.

“Ohmygosh they’re so cute!”

“Right?!” He scrolled through a few different ones. “This one is my favorite.”

“It’s like a little pudgy plant!” Connie said and laughed. The rotund little cactus on the screen bounced happily in its pot, its three stubby arms covered in pink blossoms. When she touched the screen the cactus wriggled as though she’d tickled it. “This game is amazing,” she said in awe.

“They grow bigger the more you walk. I’m always walking back and forth from the Temple to the boardwalk so it’s perfect.”

“I’m not allowed to have a smartphone,” Connie said with a sigh as Steven put his phone away. “Mom says it’s too distracting from important things.” She grinned. “So now that you showed me, you’ll have to keep me updated on your cactus monsters!”

Steven saluted. “Yes, ma’am!”

Connie giggled. “Speaking of walks; I was actually taking a walk down to the beach while Dad is shopping, if you care to join me?”

“Of course,” Steven said with a huge grin on his face. He held out his arm with a flourish. “My lady.” 

“Knight,” she corrected with a smile, and hooked her arm in his as they strolled down the boardwalk.

The sound of the surf echoed loud and clear as they approached the beach. Steven took a deep breath, the salt in the air tickling his nose in a familiar, pleasant way as Connie kicked off her shoes and dug her toes into the sand. 

“It’s so nice here.” Connie took a few steps, leaving furrows in her wake as she dragged her feet. “Any cactus monsters around?”

“Lemme check.” Steven pulled out his phone and plopped down in the sand, his legs folded in front of him.

“Mmmm, no, doesn’t look like it. I’ll probably see some on the way home though.”

“Boo,” Connie said, and then chuckled as she trudged her way back to her shoes and then towards Steven. She plopped down beside him with a little “oof”.

Overhead, a seagull cried out before it dove down to pick up some popcorn near the boardwalk. Steven watched it and then let himself fall backwards, his arms splayed out from his sides. What could be more peaceful than this?

“Hey, Steven?”

“Yeah?” he asked, and lifted his head to look at Connie looking at him. 

“When do you think she’ll be back?”

_Jasper._

Steven pushed himself up onto his elbows and then onto his bottom. “I don’t know.” He grinned at Connie, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “But we’ll be ready.”

Connie nodded. She held her hands before her and closed them into fists. “Yeah. We did pretty great last time, didn’t we?” A blush crept across her cheeks, and Steven felt his own face flush.

Stevonnie. The only fusion of their kind. Thinking of their fusion filled him with warmth, and he unconsciously pressed a hand against his gem.

“You know, I was thinking. We didn’t even dance.” Connie settled her hands at her sides and idly dug her fingers into the sand. “Is that normal?”

“I’m not sure.” He folded his arms across his chest and tapped a hand against his chin. “I told Pearl that we fused but she didn’t really say anything. But Peridot’s mentioned that fusions are for battle so maybe it is normal?”

“It’s kind of sad. The Gems have such an amazing ability and they only use it for fights.” Connie flopped backwards into the sand and looked over at Steven. “I don’t think I could ever be like Garnet but,” she paused and looked away quickly. 

“But it’s nice,” Steven finished.

_”Make sure it’s a good experience.”_

“Yeah.”

They fell silent and Steven flopped down beside Connie. The sound of the waves was soothing as a lullaby. 

Forming Stevonnie was becoming easier and easier. They were strong, and big, and confident and smart and the best of what they could be. Stevonnie was everything they were and more. 

“They're really great,” Connie said. “I feel so strong, like I could do anything!” She lifted a hand and swiped left, right, left again, as though parrying an oncoming attack with her sword. “I wasn’t even scared.”

“Everything just clicked.” He held up his arm and formed his shield, then let it dissipate into the wind. “They can do whatever we can, but better,” he added. All their training, everything they had been working towards just seemed so _easy_ when they were them. No fear, just determination and strength and Jasper hadn’t even stood a chance.

“Well, I don’t know about _that_ ,” Connie said. 

“No?”

She smiled and turned her face towards him. Sand sprinkled down from her hair, and when the light caught it just right it shone like glitter. “They can’t play both Archimicarus _and_ Lisa.”

Steven’s grin was big enough to hurt his cheeks. “But they _can_ see PG13 movies.”

Connie’s grin turned fierce. “Yeah, well they can’t play two-player co-op in Marlo Party 8.”

She had him there. He was still grinning from ear to ear, though. “They can dominate in Lonely Blade, though.”

“True.” Connie chewed at her lip, thinking. “Oh!” She lifted her arms as though holding her violin. “Stevonnie might be able to play, but they can’t share a jam.”

Steven clutched at his heart as though he’d been dealt a mortal blow. “I”ve lost!” He groaned and let his arms fall to the sand as he stuck his tongue out in a cartoonish death pose and Connie laughed. “You’re right, though,” he said after a moment. “Being Stevonnie is great, but I’d take being able to share a jam with you over being them.”

Connie folded her hands across her stomach and stared up at the sky. “And they're great in a fight but,” she looked over at Steven with a smile, “I think I’d rather have you at my back.”

“Jam and battle buddies for life?”

“Jam and battle buddies for life.”


End file.
